§ Mr. PatchettTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will review the procedures in cases where invalidity and sickness benefit claimants are suffering hardship through loss of unemployment benefit or national insurance credits in the period following disallowance of invalidity or sickness benefit, but before they have been formally notified of such by the insurance officer and where in such cases claimants cannot satisfy the availability for work conditions or be deemed to satisfy it, during this period, in order to qualify for unemployment benefits or credits.
§ Mr. ScottDecisions awarding or withdrawing benefit rest with the independent statutory authorities. Existing procedures already seek to avoid hardship caused by withdrawal of incapacity benefit. If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind perhaps he might care to write to me about it.